A flight attendant addressing passengers.
  • Insider asked five current and former flight attendants what people don't know about their jobs.
  • Their answers included everything from why they can't accept tips to why they rush boarding.
  • "Passengers have offered $100-plus bills for a better seat," one told us. "But if it gets noticed, the flight attendant will have to speak with their manager."

On a recent cross country trip, I found myself studying the flight attendants on my flight. At first glance, it seems like their job is simple. They pour drinks, hand out snacks, and deal with passenger requests. 

But during the six-hour flight, I noticed so much more. One flight attendant had to deal with a mid-flight health emergency, another spent a few hours doing paperwork, and a third worked hard to keep the aircraft — and the bathrooms — clean during the long flight.